Let’s call it the Robertson effect.
Now ridiculously famous, the Robertson family of Louisiana has made it abundantly clear that they are Christians, and that they’re not even a little ashamed of that fact. You know them as the bearded boys and their belles on the A&E reality series Duck Dynasty. But folks who live around them apparently know them as more than just folks who go to church once in a while: They’re a family whose faith permeates every area of their lives.
We routinely see them pray before meals on their show, of course. But journalists who’ve spent the time to engage with their real world have found out that prayer before meals is just the beginning for the Robertsons. One of their number is a preacher. One has launched a weekly online devotional video for teens, as well as a modest line of clothes.
Says 16-year-old Sadie, who is responsible for both the devotional and clothes:
I think it’s awesome that people see something in me that’s different, but it’s really a challenge to me and my spiritual way and everything. If little girls are looking up to me, I’ve got to be the example they need. If I’m going to claim that I’m different from everybody else on TV, I’ve got to be different than everybody else. It’s encouraging to me and really helping me to be a better person.
Similarly, two of the Duck Dynasty men recently showed up on Tim Allen’s ABC sitcom Last Man Standing, quoting Bible verses and praying with the Baxters. It was the closest thing I’ve seen to church on a sitcom for a very long time … maybe ever.
So it seems that the Robertsons are having quite an effect on TV and our culture just by walking their talk and talking their walk. And while I can’t pin the following directly on them, it makes me wonder if their success has opened doors for other Christians. Because the TV world is also about to meet the Hatmakers:
“We told the people, ‘Um, we are overtly Christian. This isn’t even a gray area,'” says author and blogger Jen Hatmaker, announcing that HGTV plans to use her seven-member family as a focal point for a new reality show. “And they said, ‘Yes. We want it all: your family, your prayers, your church, your poor people, your nonprofits, your chaos, your humor. We want you to be exactly who you are.'” (The program, which doesn’t have a title or airdate yet, will follow the Hatmakers as they renovate their home.)
So it’d be fun if you (our Plugged In readers) could chime in here with your own stories of Christian ideas and people and statements you’ve seen/heard in entertainment lately.
(Oh, I should tell you that it was my teenage daughter who came up with the title of this blog post. Duck Dynasty just didn’t do it for her. She said to me a few days ago, “Dad, they should have called it The Duck Family Robertson!” I have to agree. That has a pretty good ring to it.)
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